A pot luck dinner was held from 6:00 to 7:15, which was very well attended.
The meeting was called to order by PA President Stuart Leigh at 7:15 p.m. Leigh was happy to see such a large attendance, with many freshman parents, 50% to 70%. He explained that the PA is a service organization, here to serve the parents, to create discourse around education, and to share information and feedback to the administration and teachers, and it requires active participation. A motion was made, seconded and passed to change the order of business to: speaker first and PA business second.
Stuart Leigh introduced the speakers: Principal Stanley Teitel, AP Steve Satin, and AP Steve Kramer.
Mr. Teitel welcomed all of the parents, thanked the C-30 committee (that had helped select him to become principal) and shared the story of his notification. He noted the gender issue: below 40% female enrollment at Stuyvesant in a system of 52% female enrollment citywide.
His priorities are:
Steve Satin is the AP responsible for organization. His responsibilities include: staffing, calendars, postcards, PSAT exam, AP exams, proctoring, performances, and making sure the building is safe. He welcomes feedback.
Steve Kramer is the AP responsible for technology. His responsibilities include: technology services, computer networks with optic fiber between floors and copper between rooms, the actual computer systems (MAC, Windows and Unix), classes to teach students to create web sites, and classes for parents. There are computers at school, which the students can use. He noted that the Board of Ed. has no funding for computers; it is the PA that has funded them at Stuyvesant.
Q & A:
Teitel: Some of the humanities classes were canceled at the last minute due to a lack of teachers, but there is a commitment to humanities at Stuy. There are 4 sections of AP European history. AP classes are driven by the number of students who register; if we have the students, we have the class. The PSAT is normally taken in the Junior year, also in the Sophomore year as practice. The school’s website, www.stuy.edu, is maintained by the students and is accessible. Students cannot double in humanities, only in math and science, except in special cases.
PA President Stuart Leigh thanked Teitel, Satin, and Kramer for their presentations and gave each a small gift from the PA.
Announcements: College meeting for Senior parents 10/13/99 at 7:00pm. We are looking for an enthusiastic web-person to help us with the website.
The minutes of the June general PA meeting were read and accepted without change and a request made for parents to sign the attendance sheets.
Treasurer’s Report. Treasurer Bill Graham gave the budget report, including the $75,000 allocated for the wish list. A motion was made, seconded and approved to pass it. Graham explained that the Appropriations committee reviews all wish list requests, as prioritized by the principal, and funds as many as possible.
PA President Stuart Leigh introduced all of the Committee Chairs and Event coordinators. A motion was made to accept the chairs and event coordinators. It was seconded and approved.
Each Chairperson gave a short report of their committee or event.
Communications: Produces the Bulletin; needs reporters and help on the website.
College Night: Brings in 150 college reps. and serves them dinner on College Night. This committee needs help that one night and also works with the guidance department to provide assistance as necessary in the College Office.
Phonathon: This is the only PA fundraising event and brings in about $270,000.
Hospitality: Provides refreshments before PA meetings.
Faculty Reception Event: The PA hosts a light dinner for the two Parent/Teacher Conferences each year. We need help from 3:00 to 6:00pm on 10/28/99.
Intel Reception Event: Hosts one event in early Dec. for parents, students and teachers and needs help.
Membership: Distributes and collects membership envelopes and enrollment forms. Please fill one out.
Program: Schedules speakers for each PA meeting. Please give your suggestions for programs.
Family Orientation Day Event: Organizes the March open house for incoming parents and students and the June Family Orientation Day for all incoming students.
Scholarship: 10-15 seniors are granted scholarships based on an essay.
Discussion then ensued of the School Leadership Team (SLT) and representation. There are 6 open seats for parents. A motion was made to accept the recommendation of the PA Executive Board to move ahead with the election of 6 additional members to create the following roster of ten SLT parent positions: PA president, 3 senior parents, 2 junior parents, 2 sophomore parents and 2 freshman parents. It’s expected that the by laws will be amended to reflect this expansion of the number of parent seats on the SLT. It was seconded and adopted.
Nominations were then recorded for the 6 open SLT positions. Candidates are listed on Page 5.
Nominations were then recorded for PA Member-At-Large openings in the following positions: 3 Freshman, 2 Sophomores, 1 Junior, and 1 Senior. Candidates are listed on Page 5
Both the SLT and the Member-At-Large elections will be held at the October 19 PA General meeting. Mr. Leigh announced that there was no prohibition against candidates bringing prepared printed election material to a meeting at which an election would be held
The next item on the agenda was nominations for the two C-30 committees, which will participate in the selection of the Assistant Principals for Biology and Social Studies.
Biology AP C-30 Level I Screening Committee: 7 parents had sent in volunteer notices, 4 more volunteered at the meeting, one removed himself from consideration, leaving 10 parents: Yuk Cheung, Kaare Christian, Albert M. D'Souza, Diane Grant, Regina McMahon, Alex Pan, Connie Poon, Howard Seidel, Sheldon Stachel, and Edward Suh. A motion was made. seconded and passed that these parents comprise the C-30 Committee for Biology.
Social Studies AP C-30 Level I Screening Committee: 8 parents had sent in volunteer notices, 6 more parents volunteered, and an election by ballot was required. Each of the 13 candidates (minus 2 who had left) was given 30 seconds to speak and a closed ballot election was held and tabulated that night following the close of the meeting. The results were: Andrew Arato, Robin Blum, Gladys Garbow, Yao Lu, Judith Moore, Carla Nordstrom, Joanna Peters, Howard Seidel, Stephan Sheppard, and Linda Weissman.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:20pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Schnee, Recording Secretary